Welcome! This is a weekly blog* by Author J.L. Metcalf where I discuss anything and everything that strikes my fancy. If you have ideas on what you think I should write about, please send me an email via my website! Or find me on Facebook at @JLMetcalfAuthorArtisan!

For now, sit back, relax and enjoy the blog!

*All views expressed in “The Female Perspective” are those of J.L. Metcalf, not Great Stories, Inc

It’s that time of year when people are frantically searching out the perfect gift for loved ones (or, in the case of so many commercials, all those totally random people in your life) and I thought I’d offer up some suggestions to help!

I am a huge Christmas geek. I love it. I wait patiently for Thanksgiving to arrive so I can finally decorate my house for Christmas. I enjoy picking out gifts for the people I love and in recent years, have had some fun sending out Christmas cards with my partner. It really is my favorite time of the year and I make no apologies for sounding like a total geek about it.

Sometimes it can be hard to come up with gifts. Some people just buy what they want when they want it, leaving not a lot on their list. Some people are just fussy. Some people just deserve coal in their stocking. For those that have been nice all year long, here are a few ideas!

Gift Certificates are Super!

Yep. To some this seems like a cop-out but really, what is bad about getting some a gift card to their favorite store so they can go pick out something they really want? Why is that a bad thing? I personally have fun with gift cards I receive because I can spend some time really seeing what I need — whether it be cat litter or other household items or new clothes or even a massage or facial gift card. It’s all good and it’s fun to shop with pretend money! Makes you feel rich and fancy.

These Stores Are Pretty Amazing

Here are some of my personal favorite websites to pick up goodies.

ThinkGeek.com — They have so much stuff for the nerd in you life. From Star Wars to Star Trek, Game of Thrones and so much more, it’s hard to NOT find something the geek in your life will … well, geek out over! I personally am drooling for this Spellbook wallet.

Shari’s Berries — Maybe you want to get your special someone a tasty treat for Christmas instead of a toy or clothing item. Maybe you hate baking, well then Shari’s Berries is perfect! They have amazing treats (their chocolate covered strawberries are amazing) and they deliver when you need them to. It can be a bit pricey, but it’s worth it for the quality product.

Etsy.com — Come now, haven’t we all sat on Etsy for hours pouring over all the cool handmade stuff? There is a lot to be had on Etsy and most of it is from small business owners, which is an amazing way to support local business and/or small business. Which makes this a win/win all around! Your loved one gets an awesome, one-of-a-kind gift and you’ve made a small business owners day by purchasing their items! FYI: I have a pretty cool shop on Etsy called JuiceyCreativeWorks.etsy.com, make sure to check it out!

When In Doubt, Spread Love and Joy!

Really for me Christmas is not about the gifts, sure it’s a blast getting and giving gifts, but Christmas has always been about time spent with family, that feeling of joy that abounds in the world. I know for a lot of people, Christmas can be a time of stress or sadness. Those people need love too. One thing you can do is make another’s Christmas holiday merry but donating to Toys For Tots or find your local giving tree and pluck a card off of that and give gifts to families in need. It’s easy and it really does warm your heart.

This year there are many people suffering, whether it be out in South Dakota by the pipeline or in places like Flint, Michigan or all across the world in places like Syria and Afghanistan. No matter what anyone celebrates, December should be a time of love and joy and whatever we can do to help others is welcome. There is always donations to places like Planned Parenthood or the Red Cross. Whatever you support, try your best to give if you can. And if you cannot give, spread the word and spread cheer.

Happy Holidays, whatever one you celebrate! And if you have suggestions on places to shop or donate, please add them to the comments below!